Aberdeen 5 - 0 Kilmarnock

This match was scheduled for 7th May but was brought forward by two days to give Aberdeen more time to prepare for the Real Madrid game in Gothenburg on 11th May. An understrength home team gave a good display of attacking football which took them to the top of the table, at least until the weekend. 12,500 fans gave them enthusiastic encouragement and wished them well for their date with destiny.

Aberdeen gave a clear indication from the early stages of their release from the pressure of title chasing when they produced an attacking move in which nine Dons were involved without a Kilmarnock player making contact with the ball and which carried it almost the length of the pitch. The Kilmarnock goal had a fortuitous escape when a John McMaster free kick released Peter Weir. Ian Porteous challenged McCulloch for Weir's cross and the ball broke to John Hewitt, but his close range try was blocked by Porteous. A couple of minutes later Weir was left with a clear run on goal but McCulloch saved his shot. Teenagers Brian Mitchell and Porteous were fitting well into the scheme of things despite their lack of experience.
Not surprisingly Aberdeen took the lead in 30 minutes. A burst to the goal line by McMaster produced a cutback which evaded the keeper and Gordon Strachan was at the far post to side-foot the ball into the net. Some of the Kilmarnock tackling was becoming fiery and the referee produced the yellow card. A second goal arrived 6 minutes from the interval and it was worth waiting for. McMaster ran on to a square pass from Hewitt, exchanged a neat 1-2 with Weir and crashed a rising drive past McCulloch.

The second half was only 49 seconds old when the Dons increased their lead. Weir moved down the touchlme at speed before cutting the ball back into the path of Ian Angus who side-footed the ball home. A minute later the Killie keeper had to scamper across his goal when a long-range effort by Strachan floated just wide of his right-hand upright. The visitors' goalmouth was the scene of frantic activity with Willie Miller and Hewitt each having shots blocked, It was a long range effort which brought goal No.4 in 58 minutes when a 60 yard lobbed pass by McMaster found Strachan and he coolly chipped the ball over the advancing keeper.
With Gothenburg in mind, particularly encouraging were the performances of Strachan and McMaster. The former was giving clear indications of rapidly approaching peak form and topped his display with two goals, while the latter scored a goal and was showing his usual constructive touches. Recent injury absentees Doug Bell and Eric Black replaced Andy Watson and Ian Porteous in order to give them a run before the cup final. Black was involved immediately when his cross was nodded down by Weir to Hewitt and his point-blank shot rebounded off McCulloch. Shortly afterwards the keeper saved brilliantly from Black as Aberdeen tried to boost their goal tally. With 5 minutes to go they did have the ball in the net when Angus scored from 20 yards.

Source: Match Programme, 14th August 1993